Health professional working to improve care for children across EuropeÂ Â

Posted on the 19th February 2016

A health professional in Lancashire has been working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to improve the way that children receive and are involved in their own healthcare.

Andrew Clarke, Public Health Development Lead for the Children and Families Network at Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust has been working with the World Health Organisation to generate awareness of children"s rights and establish how they can play a vital part in the way that healthcare is delivered to children and their families across Europe.

Andrew Clarke, Public Health Development Lead for Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust"s Children and Families network said:

''I believe we can change the way that children receive and are involved in healthcare by recognising their rights and translating these into how we plan and deliver healthcare on a daily basis. I work in countries across Europe, South Asia, South America and East Africa to help their services improve healthcare for children and families and using practical approaches building on children"s rights is a very helpful way to do that.

''Over recent years the World Health Organisation has started to explore how these approaches can really help to improve experiences and also results. This led to them forming expert working groups to develop practical tools that can be used in primary care services and hospitals so it"s an exciting project to be involved in, which I hope will change the landscape of healthcare and experiences of healthcare for children and families across the country and the rest of Europe.""

As a result of the work with the World Health Organisation the Trust is starting to explore the ways that children"s rights can be used to help improve services in Lancashire.